Interview
Gademan looking on ‘the bright side’ for a Race 1 victory after frustrating Shanghai Qualifying
Nina Gademan was left to rue a missed opportunity after Qualifying P8 in Shanghai, but the Alpine driver is determined to make the most out the situation in Race 1.
Gademan had looked on course for a top-four time, but the Dutch racer was hampered by traffic in the frenetic final few minutes of running. Forced to settle for P8, she will line up on reverse grid pole for the fourth time in her F1 ACADEMY career.
Disappointed not to have the result she felt her performance warranted, Gademan was at least pleased to see her one-lap pace had made a step up — with the 22-year-old likely to have bettered her previous highest Qualifying result of P6.
“The first run was all right,” she explained.”P4, not too bad and I was on a really good lap on for the top four again on the second run. Then I got impeded on my best lap.
“There's not much more to say. I think we were up there for the top four, which is a big improvement in my Qualifying performance compared to last year. Even now, I qualified P8 whole fighting with another car.
“I’m not happy about this result. I'm happy about my Qualifying performance going up. I'm trying to look at it from the bright side, I'm starting from pole tomorrow. I wish I would have started in the top four for the second race to get big points and fight for a podium, but it is what it is.”
Gademan has unfinished business in Shanghai. Starting from reverse grid pole last year, the Alpine driver led 11 of the 13 laps and pulled an eight-tenth gap following a late Safety Car restart.
Unfortunately the win wasn’t to be after she was forced to retire on the penultimate lap with a technical issue. Eager bring home the victory for her new team MP Motorsport, Gademan believes she can avenge last year’s disappointments by replicating the successful elements of that performance.
“I don't want to jinx it!” Gademan said. “I would just do the same. Last year, I had pressure from (Alisha) Palmowski but we had our good set of tyres on. I remember I wasn't pushing that much because the gap was safe. I didn't have to push to defend my position and I was saving tyres that I used the next day.
“Then it just broke down. It was just a very easy, controlled race and I want to have that again. I know I've got Natalia (Granada) behind me and Lisa (Billard). I know in races, I am always a lot stronger than in Qualifying anyway, so I'm not too worried about it.”